Surfing is, without a doubt, one of the most visually striking and fascinating sports. A fluid choreography that combines strength and delicacy, like a dance on the waves, gathers enthusiasts across the world's oceans. Yet, behind this image of freedom and connection with nature, the sport also carries contradictions. It is a symbol of outdoor life and respect for the ocean, but on the other hand, it is marked by territorial disputes over waves and by an environmental footprint that rarely receives the same attention given to its aesthetics. In times of climate crisis, this paradox becomes even more evident. Surfing depends directly on the health of marine ecosystems, the very ones most affected by pollution and global warming. This tension has been pushing a new generation of shapers, architects, and material designers to seek alternatives, from plant-based and recycled foams to the reuse of industrial waste, in order to reconnect the sport with its ecological dimension.
This environmental impact comes primarily from surfboards, the essential element that connects surfer and wave. Until the mid-1950s, boards were large and heavy, made of balsa wood. The global expansion of surfing, however, was directly linked to the introduction of synthetic materials developed during wartime. Polyurethane foams, polyester resins, and fiberglass, all derived from the military and aerospace race, enabled lighter, cheaper, stronger, and more maneuverable boards, transforming surfing into a practice accessible to millions of people. The problem is that this advance also brought with it a complex environmental legacy: their production releases toxic gases, depends on petroleum-based derivatives, and generates waste that is difficult to recycle. Over time, the industry also began incorporating other materials, such as EPS (expanded polystyrene) laminated with epoxy resin. Originally invented in 1949 by Fritz Stastny at BASF in Germany, in the wake of World War II polymer research, EPS was commercialized in the 1950s as a lightweight, insulating and inexpensive material, widely used in packaging and construction. Its availability and low cost eventually led surfboard manufacturers to adopt it for blanks, offering new design possibilities and somewhat more viable pathways for recycling and reuse compared to polyurethane.
